Next Coach At Gaffney

[racincowboy02]

We all know that Jones is retiring at the end of the season after 40 plus years with the program from position coach to DC to now head coach and the community here in Gaffney has been very blessed with the leadership that he has given and led this program to. Jones will leave the program in good shape as the talent that will return will be able to contend for a state title again next year. I know that there are very different opinions in town and throughout the community as to who should and who shouldn't get the job and I agree with some and disagree with others on it. I have seen how this coaching staff handles the kids from a different light for the past 2 seasons as my youngest was on the JV squad the 2 seasons and I will say this Coach Jones loves the players and wants them to be successful both on and off the field.

So I said all of that to say this who will apply and who won't apply? Will it be somebody from within the program that will take the reigns or do we get new blood from outside to see how they mold and shape a pretty good team that will be coming back next season. My list of candidates for who I look to see apply and interview is long so I am going to try and list atleast a top 5 from both on the staff currently and from outside.

So my list goes like this

1. Donnie Littlejohn
2. Bryce Smiley
3. Tom Knotts
4. Daniel HC
5. Bobby Bentley (if he wants to come back to SC)

[bringthewood]

You're missing a current Upstate HC.

[TIM]

We all know that Jones is retiring at the end of the season after 40 plus years with the program from position coach to DC to now head coach and the community here in Gaffney has been very blessed with the leadership that he has given and led this program to. Jones will leave the program in good shape as the talent that will return will be able to contend for a state title again next year. I know that there are very different opinions in town and throughout the community as to who should and who shouldn't get the job and I agree with some and disagree with others on it. I have seen how this coaching staff handles the kids from a different light for the past 2 seasons as my youngest was on the JV squad the 2 seasons and I will say this Coach Jones loves the players and wants them to be successful both on and off the field.

So I said all of that to say this who will apply and who won't apply? Will it be somebody from within the program that will take the reigns or do we get new blood from outside to see how they mold and shape a pretty good team that will be coming back next season. My list of candidates for who I look to see apply and interview is long so I am going to try and list atleast a top 5 from both on the staff currently and from outside.

So my list goes like this

1. Donnie Littlejohn
2. Bryce Smiley
3. Tom Knotts
4. Daniel HC
5. Bobby Bentley (if he wants to come back to SC)

Knotts would have to be tops of anyone's list! Dude just wins championships. I have no idea how but he gets it done. I believe he is nearing retirement though. Could not see Bentley going to Gaffney after all the years of hatred back in the Byrnes/Gaffney hayday of the early 2000's. lol! Made for some great football and entertainment though.

[Deputy]

Knotts isn’t coming to Gaffney. He has had plenty of opportunities to leave DF over the years and hasn’t. He is near retirement and has a son in the program. But if you want the DF system, you could do much worse (and some on that list are) than getting Pelham from White Knoll. What he did to bring that program out of the dumpster is telling

[HoodRoad]

So my list goes like this

1. Donnie Littlejohn
2. Bryce Smiley
3. Tom Knotts
4. Daniel HC
5. Bobby Bentley (if he wants to come back to SC)

Well, I don't think Fru will leave DWD. That's his home. I'd make Chris Miller tell me No, even though he's retired. Idk what it's like to live in, around, or near Gaffney but if they're going all out you might as well chum for some big fish. Here's my list in no particular order...yes it's upstate heavy. Idk much about LS coaches but one.

1. Chris Miller
2. Brian Lane
3. Russell Blackston
4. Corey Fountain
5. Jeff Tate
6. Anthony Frate
7. Kevin Ramsey (LOL)

[3rd String]

The Cherokee County School board is too cheap to go out and hire a big time coach. Coach Strickland left because they wouldn't let him replace an assistant who left. To hire someone like Tom Knott's you have to hire his staff also. It will be someone already on the staff unless someone wants to come in on the cheap. Probably Donnie Littlejohn. I know from an inside source, he wants the job bad.

[HoodRoad]

The Cherokee County School board is too cheap to go out and hire a big time coach. Coach Strickland left because they wouldn't let him replace an assistant who left. To hire someone like Tom Knott's you have to hire his staff also. It will be someone already on the staff unless someone wants to come in on the cheap. Probably Donnie Littlejohn. I know from an inside source, he wants the job bad.

Is Gaffney going back to homegrown talent or they now like others...shopping for another QB and some other pieces? Who was the last Gaffney QB from their pipeline?

[racincowboy02]

The Cherokee County School board is too cheap to go out and hire a big time coach. Coach Strickland left because they wouldn't let him replace an assistant who left. To hire someone like Tom Knott's you have to hire his staff also. It will be someone already on the staff unless someone wants to come in on the cheap. Probably Donnie Littlejohn. I know from an inside source, he wants the job bad.

Is Gaffney going back to homegrown talent or they now like others...shopping for another QB and some other pieces? Who was the last Gaffney QB from their pipeline?

Undre Lindsay is the last Gaffney grown QB that I am aware of

[Noble Savage]

Idk how attached he is to Mann..

But Scoot would at least get a phone call

[Rebel-Fan-74]

Anyone who knows anything about Gaffney Football knows this:

Take what you know, toss it in the trash can. That administration is likely to do anything! The hire that most people think is going to happen (Donnie Littlejohn) is one end of the options and hiring someone you have never heard of is the other end of the options and they can go anywhere in between. There is no sure thing with them.

I think the "pool" will be full of candidates as anyone who knows anything about High School Football knows of Gaffney. The tradition, the facilities, the talent pool ( you get students from the entire Cherokee County including students that should be at Blacksburg as well as a very active "Transfer Portal" ) are all very positive. Add in to the mix the support (and yes there is some bickering from time to time) but overall, the support is there! I am sure the $$ is good enough and I'm positive that applications will come from all over the southeast. I would be very shocked if they name a new coach quickly.

I think they will go over the applications and make three piles:
1 - Top Candidates
2 - If we don't get anyone from list 1
3 - You wish we would consider you!